The present invention relates generally to sign or message holders and, more particularly, to a transportable sign or message holder for supporting and displaying replaceable signs or messages.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a transportable sign or message holder that can be quickly and easily attached to, and detached from, any desired supporting surface without defacing that surface. A related object is to provide such a holder which permits the displayed sign or message to be easily replaced while the holder is attached to its supporting surface.
Another important object of this invention is to provide such an improved transportable sign or message holder that is capable of receiving a wide variety of signs or messages, typically printed on disposable media such as paper, paperboard or plastic film or sheets, or even personal or hand-made signs or messages. A related object is to provide such a holder which permits the signs or messages to be easily replaced as frequently as desired.
A further object of this invention is to provide such an improved transportable sign or message holder which can be easily re-located and re-used as often as desired.
Yet another important object of this invention is to provide such an improved transportable sign or message holder which can be efficiently and economically mass produced, and which has a long useful life.
Still another object of this invention is to provide such an improved transportable sign or message holder which can be used to display signs or messages in a wide variety of different applications, including bumper signs or messages on vehicles, advertising signs or messages on windows of stores or vehicles, display booth signs and messages, and the like. In this connection, a related object of the invention is to provide such an improved holder that does not require any adhesive backing or other attachment material on the items inserted into the holder for display.
It is another object of this invention to provide such an improved transportable sign or message holder which can be easily tailored to display signs or messages in virtually any desired size, on virtually any desired surface. In this connection, a related object is to provide such an improved holder which enables the same sign or message to be displayed in a wide variety of different environments, including environments in which moisture may be present.
Still another object of this invention is to provide such an improved transportable sign or message holder which can be fabricated from only a few parts, e.g., a single sheet of plastic and a pair of fasteners.
A further object of the invention is to provide an improved sign or message holder that is capable of holding multiple copies of the displayed item, or even different displayed items, while also permitting the displayed items to be easily removed from the holder. Typical materials that can be displayed in this manner are work instructions, notes, reminders, bulletins, informational materials, coupons and other documents.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved sign or message holder that protects wettable display materials from liquids (such as splashing) and soiling.
A still further object is to provide an improved sign or message holder that permits displayed materials within the holder to be viewed from opposite sides of the holder.
This invention is also intended to provide an improved sign or message holder that permits permanent displays on the holder itself, in addition to materials inserted into the holder.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.
In accordance with the present invention, the foregoing objects are realized by providing a transportable sign or message holder for supporting and displaying replaceable signs or messages. The holder includes a transparent front panel of polymeric material that permits a sign or message to be supported and viewed through the front panel while protecting the sign or message from moisture and soiling. A rear panel located behind the front panel forms a cavity between the two panels for receiving, supporting and displaying one or more replaceable signs or messages, and the front and rear panels are attached at the bottom of the cavity for supporting the lower edge of a sign or message in the cavity. The holder includes mounting means for detachable mounting the panels on a supporting structure, such as a window or other flat solid surface.
In a preferred embodiment, the front and rear panels of the sign or message holder are formed by a single polymeric sheet that is folded to form the two panels, the fold forming the attachment between the two panels for supporting the sign or message in the cavity between the panels. Fastening devices are passed through the two panels near the side edges thereof to hold the two panels together while at the same time serving to attach the panels to a supporting surface. The preferred fastening devices are suction cups.